For a major religious right leader to acknowledge that being trans is a real thing, and not simply some kind of “disorder,” and then for them to say that it isn’t sin and he wouldn’t condemn someone for getting a sex change, is a huge deal.

Robertson’s statement is, at its core, sympathetic. And regardless of how flawed the rest of his quote is, not quoted below but in the video below, these are the kind of positive statements that help a movement move forward, especially one that is less known to the public than, for example, being gay. Say what you will about Robertson, but this quote is very helpful.

Here’s the money quote:

“There are men who are in a woman’s body… it’s very rare but it’s true, or women that are in men’s bodies, and they want a sex change and that is a very permanent thing…. I don’t think there’s any sin associated with that. I don’t condemn somebody for doing that.”

John AravosisFollow me on Twitter: @aravosis | @americablog | @americabloggay | Facebook | Instagram | Google+ | LinkedIn. John Aravosis is the Executive Editor of AMERICAblog, which he founded in 2004. He has a joint law degree (JD) and masters in Foreign Service from Georgetown; and has worked in the US Senate, World Bank, Children's Defense Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, and as a stringer for the Economist. He is a frequent TV pundit, having appeared on the O'Reilly Factor, Hardball, World News Tonight, Nightline, AM Joy & Reliable Sources, among others. John lives in Washington, DC. John's article archive.